Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-10-18
AN OLD KENTUCKY HOME.
Characteristic Features of the Most Incon
vcnient Houses Ever Devised.

built before the days of professional
architects by former Governor of the
State, who was a stone mason in early
life, and worked honestly at his trade
until the people called him into another
sphere of action. The house was at
once thoroughly comfortable and ex-
tremely inconvenient; additions had
been made to the main building at diff
ferent times, with no idea Of general
effect. From the broad front porch
one entered at once large, high room,
which was parlor, library and sitting
room all in one; and very attractive
it was with cheerful paper and
carpet, comfortable rocking chairs and
sofas. and big open fireplace with great
brass-knobbed andirons. Opposite the
front door and leading to the back
porch was hall, from which n door
opened directly upon some steps lead
ing to what was called the big up
stairs" This room. which was of me-
cessitv entered hcad-foromost AS one
assembled the stairs, took In tho main
body of the house. and held always
three double beds, with ample space
for MS many more when the house was
crowded. Two bedrooms opened from
the parlor below, and from the back
one another flight of stairs assembled
to rooms above, known as the ''lit-
tie upstairs. The characteristic
feature of the building was the entire
lack of any means of communication
between the two parts of the upper
floor In the large room over the par
lor one might hear plainly the voices
of the occupants Of an adjacent room,
descend one stairway, traverse the
whole length of the house, aud ascend
anoth q flight. Above the ''little mp
stairs" was the attic; here hung fes-
toons of okra, red peppers. onions and
garden herbs for seasoning; in the cor
ncrs were bags of nuts and punches OF
popcorn. and apples and peaches
we're spread on deal boards to
dry; there were bits of old
harness, a ragged side-saddle that was
TO be recovered some day. shotgun
or two, and some hunting-coats; and
in dark, shelving recess were some
relies of the day when Uncle Doctor
was a medical student and practicing
ply stefan some bones which Mr..
Venus would have classified as human
various These We're sources of in
finite terror to every child and negro
on the place, and made visit to the
attic after dusk n perilous expedition
necessitating ample companionshiI
and subject to sudden panics.
From the front bedroom down-st air
for it was impossible to g
anywhere about the house with
out passing through somebody
private apartment-three OF fou1
steps led down to porch
open only on two sides. and these S,
trelliscd and covered with vines tina
it was the most delightful of summer
dining-rooms From this porcl
opened capacious storerooms, ant
Just around the corner was the kitch
en-, large disorderly, often crowded
but clean in the main, and the sourc
Of mo It toothsome and abundant fare
At one corner of the porch stood al
iron bound hogshead, which caugh
aud stored the rain-watcr from TIL
roof We used to listen in summe
storm TO tho raindrops on the shin
giles, and hear them gutter aloni
through the tin spout down to this oil,
receptacle and when the rain wa
over, when the fresh. sweet, earth
: odor was abroad. and the sun wa
hanging glistening jewels on ever
flower and shrub. we would elm
upon the balustrade of the porch am
peer eagerly into the depths of the oil
hogshcad, looking for the real dia
monds that tho negroes said wer
sometimes brought down by the rair
t. After breakfast there was always
,, group of negroes about the porcl
,ch one armed with tin cup or plate
aud waiting for the daily allowance c
molasses. sugar and coffee to be give
nut from the store-room, hoping ais
fr some special tidbit from the re
mains of the meal,
Walks made from fiat. irregula
stones led from the kitchen door /
, various points in the yard to the lc
where the milking was done; to tn
noke house. the duck-pond an
,Jltry-y ard, and the line of orderl
cabins known rs 1.-THE quarters" t
the garden, with its picturesque mir
giing of fruit aud vegetables and old
fashioned flowers; and to the csterns
TO whose water the limestone roe
gave the same tonic quality that it in
parts to the blue grass, making til
: the finest grazing country in til
world. Near the garden was the circ,
lar ice house, II most seductive bull,
ing. whose slanting roof began abo,
two feet above the ground. and W,
|, delightfully."- messy and slipper,
There we would slide by the hour. an
, many were the rcnts-not only in o,
y clothes, but in our small persons ;
= well--which were due to its ragge
shingles and bent nails. We kue
= also the delicious GOODNESS and dimne
Of the interior on n hot summer da,
and enjoyed tossing aside the dam
, straw and saw dust. and dragging OF
, the great crystal blocks. especially
there was Ice cream in prospect. Pat
b. Sehple. ia atlantic.
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